1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hangers that are attached to walls for supporting objects such as mirrors and pictures mounted in frames. It particularly relates to hangers that are attached to walls by driving a nail through the hanger and into the wall.
2. Review of the Prior Art
Dubish U.S. Pat. No. D55,157 shows a curtain and shade hanger having integral spikes, which are driven into a wall, and an outwardly projecting horizontal portion having a depression in its upper edge.
Strand U.S. Pat. No. 1,675,281 relates to a hanger that is made from a strip of bendable sheet metal. The strip is bent upwardly near one end to provide a back portion and an upturned hook and then bent 90.degree. in the same direction near the other end to provide a horizontal part which is again bent 90.degree. downwardly to provide a very short vertical part which is again bent slightly less than 45.degree. to provide an inclined part. The very short vertical part and the back portion are provided with holes so that a nail can be placed through the holes, at about a 45.degree. angle to the back portion, for attaching the hanger to a wall.
Lloyd-Young U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,712 shows a picture hanger affixed to a wall panel by two nails driven so as to intersect beyond the panel. The nails are inserted into inclined loops formed in a sheet metal strip which is disposed perpendicularly to the panel, twisted 90.degree. below the lower nail, and then bent outwardly and upwardly to form a hook.
Smith U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,065 shows a picture hook for positively positioning picture wire for maintaining pictures in proper level position over extended periods of time. A strip of sheet metal is formed at one end into an inclined loop through which a nail is driven into a wall. Below the nail, the strip is twisted 90.degree. to present a flat lower portion which is parallel to the wall and bent at the corners of its bottom edge to create a pair of upturned tabs behind which a picture wire is hung.
Shorin U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,631 describes an integral polymeric hanger for hanging pictures on a plaster board wall. The hanger comprises an elongated strip having a hole at one end for driving a nail transversely into the wall. A locking flap is attached below the hole and extends downwardly and outwardly to terminate in a depending lip. The strip extends below the flap and is then curved outwardly and upwardly to terminate in an upwardly facing lip in proximate spaced relation to the downwardly depending lip. Both lips decrease in thickness toward their edges.
Kolbourne U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,719 shows a hanger, shaped like an upside-down Y, for supporting pictures, mirrors, decorative plaques, and framed diplomas, certificates, and mementos. The hanger comprises a metal strip which is divided at one end into diverging arms and bent outwardly near the other end to create a horizontal ledge and then bent downwardly and provided with aligned apertures at its downward bend and in its vertical portion below the outward bend through which a nail is driven into a wall. The diverging arms are bent outwardly and then upwardly to create a pair of upturned hooks behind which a picture wire is placed.
Mader et al U.S. Pat. No. D251,180 shows a display hook which comprises a metal strip having an upturned hook at one end and an elongated, forwardly extending ledge at the other end which terminates in an upwardly bent hook. Holes are provided near both hooks, and two tabs extend perpendicularly from the strip.
All of these hangers are directed to pictures and other framed objects having metal wires strung across their backs for hanging onto a wall. Many pictures, mirrors, and the like, however, do not use such wires but instead have a saw-tooth hanging device attached to their backs at the center of the top frame member, such as the picture hanger or clip shown in Wallace U.S. Pat. No. D241,711. Mounting a picture having a saw-tooth hanger at its back onto the hook of a hanger such as those described in the Strand and Lloyd-Young patents, for example, always causes the upper part of the hanger to be exposed. There is accordingly a need for a hanger that is strong, reliable, and suitable for use with a saw-tooth clip without being exposed to view above the picture.